roasted chicken – bFeedme

Roast chicken is a common dish that is prepared in many ways. Sometimes it is stuffed or marinated in order to have more flavor. Since I live with Muslim parents, a big chunk of our meals consist of chicken. Thus the need to be creative, otherwise we will be stuck eating the same things over and over again, which can be tiring and boring for the taste buds.

I have a couple of roast chicken recipes up my sleeve which I have gained through experimentation and suggestions. I honestly haven’t followed a recipe except for this one. Pollo asado or Colombian roast chicken is a unique way to prepare this traditional fare. It boasts of a mix of herbs and even beer. I’ve heard of this before, but I’ve only tried preparing chicken coke in the past. The beer infuses its sweet and bitter flavor into the chicken and it definitely complements the mixed herbs. This dish is best eaten with potatoes, vegetables and steamed rice.

Ingredients:

1 5 lbs. whole chicken

3 scallions

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

5 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 cup cilantro

1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

3 cups beer

To prepare the marinade, combine the scallions, cilantro, garlic, thyme, cumin and oregano in a food processor or blender. Process it for 30 seconds to form a paste. You may also use a mortar and pestle if desired.

Brush the chicken with vegetable oil and then spread the paste marinade on the chicken evenly. Tie the chicken legs with a kitchen string and then place it on a covered container or re-sealable bag. Refrigerate it overnight.

Preheat the oven to 425F and then put the marinated chicken in a roasting pan. Pour the beer into the pan. Roast the chicken in the oven or 1- 1 1/2 hour or until the chicken is cooked and the skin is crispy. Poke it with a fork or knife to test doneness.

Remove the chicken from the pan and place it on a serving plate. You may pour the juices over it if desired. Cover it with foil and let it stand for 10 minutes. After, serve it with vegetables and potatoes.

Photo Courtesy Of: Machine is Organic

This dish is easy to prepare. You can serve it for dinner or when you have guests. The oil and chicken juices makes the potatoes tasty and delicious.

You can experiment with different herbs and spices to give the chicken more flavor. Sometimes I stuff it with ginger, onions, lemongrass and garlic instead of potatoes.

I love eating this chicken recipe with buttered vegetables, but it is good with salad or rice as well.

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 (3 pound) whole chicken

3 cloves garlic sliced

Marble potatoes

2 lemons

2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Slice the lemons and squeeze the juice in a small bowl. Pour in the olive oil and mix well.

Rub the lemons on the chicken and discard them after.

Combine the salt, pepper and rosemary in a bowl. Rub the insides and outside of the chicken with the salt mixture. Place the marble potatoes inside the chicken until it is full.

Place the chicken in a baking dish and drizzle it with half of the lemon and oil mixture. Bake it for 1 hour or until the skin is golden brown and crisp. Baste it with the oil mixture.

Serve on a platter with vegetables.

Photo Courtesy Of: Machine is Organic

Pollo Asado

Baked Chicken Stuffed with Potatoes